


From Slave to Demon General

by JYN044



Category: Mage & Demon Queen (Webcomic)
Genre: Adoption, Age Difference, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Homeless, Canon Lesbian Character, Comedy, F/F, Fluff, I Love Cerik But There Was Nowhere to Put Him, I'm Sure He'll End Up With Melathia Somehow, One Shot, Queen Vel is Really a Big Softy and We All Know It, Rescue, Slavery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-09
Updated: 2020-05-09
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:54:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,959
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24094660
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JYN044/pseuds/JYN044
Summary: In another life, Malori might have remained silent, hoping against hope that the Demon Lord would allow her to live. Yet in this moment, she couldn’t prevent a panicked gasp from escaping her lips.When Vel finds herself forced to bring a human girl back to the Demon Tower, she doesn't expect much to come of it. But Malori has nowhere else to go...and no one else she would rather be with.AKA the 'What if Vel Adopted Child!Malori? AUAll Credit Goes to ColorLes and their Team for Developing Such an Amazing Universe.
Relationships: Malori Crowett/Velverosa
Comments: 27
Kudos: 516





	From Slave to Demon General

**Author's Note:**

> So this is based off the Webcomic by ColorLes, Mage and Demon Queen. I highly encourage anyone who hasn't heard of it to give it a try! The characterization, the humor, the world...it's pretty much perfect. It's so good it's one of the few works I support on Patreon...which gives access to a little extra content. 
> 
> Some of the lines and dialogue in this story were stol...uh, I mean inspired by another fanfic of this universe: Forbidden Love in the Demon's Tower by Sailor Portia for Reynabot. I recommend reading that as well. 
> 
> The idea for this comes from Episode 43 of the webcomic, though I also made MANY references to the main work. Everything from the lore to the characterization is meant to be consistent with the many storyline except for the slight divergence of Malori gasping at a critical moment.

_‘Please, don’t throw me away! Don’t leave me!’_

But her pleas had come to nothing. So now Malori was waiting in a cart, her arms bound in steel cuffs and her feet enclosed in metal shackles. The cart was completely sealed, but even in the complete darkness Malori knew several other children were sitting with her.

No. Not children. _Slaves_. That was all any of them would ever be. The men who had purchased the seven-year-old Malori from her parents had wasted no time in telling her this. She winced at the thought. _500 gold_. How long would that last her parents, now that they didn’t have another mouth to feed?

With a rough jolt, the cart came to a stop. It wasn’t long before the panel slid up, revealing the largest town Malori had ever seen. After endless hours of darkness, the light of the sunset was nearly blinding.

A faint, desperate hope welled inside her. Maybe they would finally be provided a halfway decent meal. Slaves wouldn’t sell as well if they looked like they were on the edge of starvation. Right?

The boy closest to the opening began to move out. Shakily rising to her feet, Malori began to follow. The string of chains that bound their feet snapped roughly as she made her way to the ground.

“Come on! Move it!” A harsh push from one of her handlers shoved her forward. “You squirts better not try to run if you’d want your bones to intact!”

There would be no food. Dropping her hopeless, nearly dead gaze to the ground, Malori filed along with the other slaves.

A loud squeaking noise drew her eyes. Malori looked up, walking past a stack of small cages. Each was filled with a single furry demon. One of the panicked creatures jumped up and down uselessly as the slaves walked past.

The rattling of the cages attracted one of her handlers. “Shut up, you freak!” he shouted. _Wham!_ Malori winced as she heard him slam his fist into one of the cages, instantly quieting the prisoner inside. “Dumb lesser demons…only good for stew…”

She turned to look at him, but something else caught her eye. Several distinct individuals were talking forward in their own chained line. They were nearly human in appearance, though the horns and tails instantly distinguished them as demons. Malori watched them in fascination. Everyone in her small community had said that demons were only to be hunted and feared, but the ones before her now seemed no different from Malori and her fellow slaves. They were older, certainly, but the same looks of emptiness and despair were etched on their faces.

Townspeople walked around them, acting as if processions of slaves were a common occurrence. Children played in the streets as adults purchased food and talked amongst themselves. One conversation in particular caught Malori’s attention.

“Have you finally completed your research?”

“I wouldn’t be here to buy a new test subject if I already have!”

“Haha! Good point.”

Before Malori could dwell on the implications of their words, a foreign hand roughly pushed against her cheek. “Hey! Look at this kid! What’s that on her neck? Some sort of magic crest?”

Malori frowned helplessly as curious eyes peered at the mark on her neck. It was an emblem many of the people in her community had seemed to possess. When Malori had asked about it, however, all had been reluctant to talk about it.

“Yes! I’ve heard of cases like this!” Another voice stepped in. “People who are born with crests have exceptional abilities!”

With a hand still on Malori’s cheek, the first person demurred. “Let’s not jump to conclusions. It could just be a dumb tattoo. Or a strange looking birthmark.” A pause. “So, kid…d’you have any special powers?”

“If she does, she’d make an excellent buy!” The other potential purchaser declared.

Malori was silent. She didn’t know the answer to the question. And what did it matter, anyway? All that remained of her life was servitude and starvation. Did it really matter who bought her? It would all amount to the same thing.

“Damn it…where’s your handler? Hey! Who’s the person in charge here!?”

“Oh, my! Oh, my!” The familiar tone of one of her captors cut in. “Gentlemen, please. We haven’t even put that product on display yet!”

 _“Product. Is that all I am?”_ She glanced down at the filthy rags that constituted her clothing and the chains wrapped around her dirty feet. “ _This can’t be happening! It can’t!”_

“You say she has a crest?” Her handler spoke. A tinge of excitement seeped into his voice. “Ah…we do get kids like that from time to time. We charge extra for that…like, thirty-thousand? Lol.”

Malori found herself withdrawing into her own thoughts as the discussion of her price continued. “ _P-please let me go! Someone…Anyone….Please…”_

_BOOM!_

Brilliant light filled the square. The force of the explosion nearly knocked Malori and the others down. Turning her gaze to the source of the noise, she saw one of the town walls crumbling before her eyes.

“What the hell-!? What’s going on!?”

“The second gate has been breached!”

“E-everyone, grab your weapons!”

“Impossible! Who could be attacking us!?”

It was chaos. Townspeople began to run in fear, scattering away from the point of the explosion. Cries for help split into the air. Then, a rough laughter broke through the confusion.

Malori turned to see an army gathered at the crack of the wall. A humanoid lizard stood at the front of the troops, continuing to laugh. “That’s right!” he shouted. “Run in fear, you maggots! The new Demon Lord…Demon Queen Velverosa is here!”

Malori’s eyes found the female standing beside him…and her heart nearly stopped. _The Demon Queen._ Every inch of her body radiated beauty and power. Her eyes shone with a determination and confidence Malori had never seen before.

No one was even attempting to resist. Handlers and potential buyers fled before the presence of the Demon Lord. Still focused on the awe-inspiring figure of the Queen, Malori barely heard the words of those around her as they fled.

The hesitation cost her. A foot tripped over the chains that bound the legs of the slaves, and Malori found herself falling to the ground.

“We need to run!” Another slave shouted.

Weeks of starvation and captivity had taken their toll, and Malori had never been well-cared for to begin with. “I-I can’t. My legs won’t move!”

The Demon Lord was standing before them now. Raising her arm, the Queen called forth a dark circle of magic ringed with black swords of energy. _No…_

The blades descended towards the slaves. Malori closed her eyes.

_‘We’re gonna die!’_

The sound of metal shattering caused her to open her eyes. Shock permeated every fiber of her being as she realized she was uninjured. Instead, her shackles and chains were scattered across the ground. Malori’s mouth gaped open as the Demon Queen scoffed and turned away.

“Free the demons taken prisoner. -And release the humans, so that they may sow more panic.” Velverosa’s voice, smooth yet domineering, echoed into the square.

“Yes, Queen!” The lizard replied. “You heard the Queen! Let’s get to it!” he beckoned his troops.

Throughout the town, demon soldiers released their captive brethren, attacked handlers and buyers, and chased off human prisoners. Yet as the other slaves ran off, Malori remained where she was. Her gaze was fixated on the Queen.

Twin trails of fire appeared in Velverosa’s hands. As Malori watched, the flames leapt forward and all but obliterated the keep at the center of town.

_‘W-Whoa…!’_

With her attention entirely focused on the Queen, Malori was oblivious to the destruction happening around her. Debris slammed into her head, knocking her out cold.

\

By the time she woke up, the town had been leveled to the ground. Walls and buildings had collapsed into ruins. Flames were everywhere.

The demon army now stood together in the center of the town, not far from where Malori lay on the ground. She was facing forward, nearly pinned by rubble.

“Hah! There’s no better way to announce the enthronement of our new demon lord than by wrecking a human settlement!” The lizard general declared with a laugh.

Another demon spoke up. “But of course, our priority was to free those whom they took as prisoners of war.”

The general grunted in agreement. “This raid’s a success.”

Beside them, the Demon Queen was standing impassively. Not a drop of sweat adorned her brow, as if carving her way through a populated human settlement was nothing to her. Velverosa’s gaze, once set straight forward, swung in Malori’s direction.

Their eyes met.

In another life, Malori might have remained silent, hoping against hope that the Demon Lord would allow her to live. Yet in this moment, she couldn’t prevent a panicked gasp from escaping her lips.

Queen Velverosa didn’t react. Demon soldiers standing next to her, however, did. They turned towards her, startled by the presence of a living human in their midst. Malori remained where she was, frozen in utter fear, as they raised their bows.

The general had noticed her as well. “If it was discovered that someone survived our blows, it would be a disgrace!”

The archers fired.

 _No!_ Malori shut her eyes, awaiting the end.

_Clang!_

_‘Huh?’_

Malori opened her eyes to find herself enclosed in a sphere of pulsing red energy. The arrows that had been launched lay prone on the ground in front of the barrier, inches from her nose.

Queen Velverosa’s arm was stretched out imperiously. Her eyes fixed Malori with a cold stare. In a sudden flash of realization, the slave girl understood where the barrier had come from.

_‘She saved me!’_

The lizard general turned to her. “My liege, why-?”

“No one survives my blows unless I intend it.” The Queen fixed her subordinate with a cold stare. “Or are you implying that my blows are weak, General Diannos?”

“Of course not, Queen, but-”

The Demon Lord ignored him. Slowly, she took several steps towards Malori. A thoughtful frown sat upon her face.

“I allowed this whelp to survive because I intend to take her prisoner,” the Queen finally declared. “We need a test subject to make sure the mana sapping works. Or have you forgotten the importance of our secret weapon?”

Diannos nodded. “Of course not, Queen.”

Velverosa nodded at Malori. “Take the girl. Bring her back to the tower alive and unharmed.”

\

Most of the demon army had scattered, returning to various settlements throughout the Demon-held territory in Mortem. Velverosa, Diannos, and a few others, however, returned to their main base of operations: the Demon Tower at the center of the peninsula.

Dragging Malori with them.

She hadn’t struggled. There was no way she could hope to fight or outrun even one of these demons…and she couldn’t help but continuously stare in fascination at Queen Velverosa. Being in her presence sent Malori’s heart racing for reasons the girl couldn’t quite understand.

In the grasp of one of the demon soldiers, Malori’s eyes rose to see the Tower firsthand. It was, by far, the tallest and most magnificent building she had ever laid eyes on.

She wasn’t sure how she felt about her current situation. Malori had been all too happy to see the denizens of Meno punished. But the talk about her use as a test subject had rather unnerved her.

It was when they arrived at the steps of the Tower that Malori finally found the courage to speak. “Queen Vel?” she asked tentatively. “W-what’s going to happen to me?”

The Demon Lord turned around to face her. Arms crossed, she stared at Malori impassively. “I fail to see why I must explain myself to a human…although I suppose it is prudent to remove your incentive to attempt escape.” She sighed in irritation. “My scientists believe it possible to draw mana from the human body while leaving the donor none the wiser.”

“None the wiser?” Malori managed.

Velverosa grinned. “Unharmed and unaware. Soon, fools will flock to this tower seeking to claim my head. All unaware that their very presence is powering my secret weapon. _You_ will be its test subject. Don’t resist, and you will not be harmed.”

Scoffing, the Demon Queen turned back towards the tower. “Have the twerp bathed and fed. If I’m going to endure a human living in my tower, I’d rather not have her smell like a mud rat. And I have had my fill of hearing her stomach’s protests.”

Malori stared after the Queen, her heart singing. Despite Velverosa’s words, she didn’t think that the Queen had _really_ intended to keep her prisoner all along. Not when it had been a random chunk of debris that had knocked her out. Yet the Queen had spared her life and brought her to the Tower, to receive some amount of care.

She might have been a prisoner, but at least she wasn’t being treated like a slave.

The Demon Lord disappeared into the Tower doors, her red-tipped tail swaying behind her. Malori followed, her arm gripped lightly yet firmly by a demon soldier.

_‘Thank you, my Queen!’_

\

Malori had never known what it was like to be full.

Her clan had lived in the mountains, where food was extremely rare. Children she had believed to be her friends had stolen a dead bird from her without the slightest hesitation. The ground had been barren and the nearest village had been a five days’ walk away. Sometimes, it would be days between her meager meals.

As a consequence, when a large bowl of soup had been placed in front of her, Malori had all but devoured it. The demon general chaperoning her, a bookish lamia who lived near the top of the tower, had even sent for a second bowl and several rolls of bread from the nearest kitchens. The meal was by no means as sophisticated as some of the pastries Malori had seen in the village, but it was nourishing and just as tasty as anything she’d ever had.

_Hearty Meal. Max HP +10!_

With the magic at their disposal, the demons living in the tower had no difficulty managing a system of hot water supplied throughout the hundred and twenty floor building. As a consequence, Malori had been able to bath in heated water for the first time in her life.

And it had been _amazing._

The general- Melathia -who had been assigned to look after her even deigned to scrounge up a demon girl’s outfit for her. The green garments weren’t typical human clothing, but they were certainly more comfortable than anything she was used to wearing.

She’d been given a spare cot that was placed in Melathia’s chambers. The lamia had been wary of her initially, but had somehow quickly grown comfortable with her presence. It wasn’t long before she was questioning Malori on human society, trying to find out how much about humans she had read in her books lined up with the reality.

…Not much.

Of course, having lived in an isolated community her entire life, Malori could tell her precious little. Grateful for the demon’s care, however, the former slave had revealed all she could. The only thing she kept to herself was the magic crest on her neck. She’d always been given the impression that it was dangerous, and the reaction it had received at the slave market only confirmed her fears. Fortunately, her hair was long enough to hide it as long as she was careful.

When Melathia was done, Malori asked some questions of her own.

“Why did Queen Vel bring me here?”

The general looked at her thoughtfully. “I’m not sure,” she said, slithering back and forth uncertainly. “But I wouldn’t worry about it. She’s made it known you aren’t to be harmed, and there isn’t a demon in the tower who would disobey her orders.”

It was reassuring, but not the complete answer Malori had been looking for.

And so, hours later when Melathia was asleep, Malori had struggled free of her cot and slipped out of the chambers. She knew from her conversation with the lamia that the Demon Lord resided fifteen floors above her. Thankfully, her rough childhood had helped her level up her stealth skill.

As she approached the stairs, Malori knew it would be a long climb. But she was filled with an energy she couldn’t really explain. Before this night was over, she would speak with the Queen.

 _Her_ Queen.

\

Velverosa was sitting in her study, a glass of wine resting in her hand. After so many years of preparing to assume the role of Demon Lord, the…mundanity of it all had taken her by surprise. It had started with a quick confrontation with the top contender for the crown, a duel that had been so quick and one-sided that the loser still secluded himself out of shame.

Of course, some of the banality was her own doing.Velverosa was shifting the demon race to a new strategy. Instead of continuing the unwinnable war of attrition against the humans, she would base herself in the Tower and lure adventurers to her lair. There would be fewer deaths on both sides, which was the best she could do. The arrogant pigs ruling the human race would never agree to peace. It would take years for their secret weapon to have enough power, but when that happened…

The thought of the weapon brought the image of the human girl to her mind. The Queen wasn’t entirely certain why she had spared the runt’s life. A test subject for her weapon might be convenient, but that wasn’t what had compelled her initial decision.

Perhaps it wasn’t right to kill an innocent in cold blood. Even if there was a high chance that the innocent in question would grow up to be yet another vicious human marauder. If and when that day came, Velverosa could always kill her then.

With an irritated grunt, the Queen turned her thoughts back to planning the layout of the Tower. The girl wasn’t her problem now.

“Queen Vel!”

The Demon Lord nearly shattered her wine glass in shock. The little human was standing in the doorway to her study, an awestruck grin on her face.

“What-?!” Velverosa sputtered. “How did you get here?!”

Panting slightly, the girl responded. “I climbed up the stairs. Miss Melathia was asleep, and most of the demons didn’t notice me.”

 _‘This is beneath me.’_ Velverosa would be having words with that worthless snake later. In the meantime, her gaze focused on the girl. “And why, exactly, have you come to my domain?” she growled.

The girl smiled sheepishly. “Well…to thank you, my Queen. You saved me from that terrible place and stopped your soldiers from executing me. I will be grateful to you forever!”

Velverosa rolled her eyes. “You’re here because you might be useful to us,” the Queen intoned. “Otherwise, the life of a human is nothing to me.”

“I think you saved me just because you wanted to.” The girl stepped forward, a young intelligence glistening in her eyes. As their gazes met, the Queen became aware just how strange this scenario had become. A human girl was standing before her, the Demon Lord. Humanity’s sworn enemy and the strongest entity in the world. Yet there was not a trace of fear on her face.

Instead, the girl was staring at Velverosa with a mixture of gratitude, awe, and…something else the Queen couldn’t quite place.

_Velverosa’s Status: Confused_

It was intriguing. Or, it might have been, had Velverosa not been fully aware of the deception humans were capable of.

_‘But would one so young be able to fool me?’_

The Queen’s nostrils flared. “I didn’t _want_ to save you. I am the Demon Queen! I rejoice in the death of every human to cross my path. Your survival is a means to an end, nothing more!”

“I don’t know,” the girl frowned. “If you wanted a prisoner, you would have said that from the beginning of the raid. “I was there the whole time,” she said matter-of-factly.

Groaning, Velverosa brought a hand to her temple. There was no point in dignifying that with a response.

“My name’s Malori, by the way.”

“I must remember that in case it ever becomes of the slightest interest to me,” the Queen drawled. “Fine, whatever. You thanked me. Now go bother Melathia! I have work to do.”

She tried to turn her gaze back to her paperwork, but the girl took another pace closer to her desk. “I…I wanted to ask a question, Queen Vel.”

Velverosa forced herself to look at the child again. This time, she was certain of it. There really was no trace of fear or hostility in the girl’s eyes. _Intriguing_. No doubt the child was simply too great a fool to realize the situation she was in, but the Queen was just curious enough to resist blasting her with a fire spell.

She gritted her teeth. “ _Yes_?”

The girl’s fingers fumbled nervously. “When I’m done being used as a ‘test subject’…what will you do with me?”

Velverosa’s eyes narrowed. “While I would enjoying ridding the world of a puny human, I gave you my word you would be unharmed. I will not have my honor sullied by having it said that I am a _liar_. Not like-” A familiar blond woman’s face flashed in her mind. “Not like you humans. I will have you returned safely to wherever those slavers took you from.” A smirk sprouted on the Queen’s lips. “There you may do your part to spread word of the honor and terror of the new Demon Lord!”

 _Now_ there was fear on the girl’s face. “M-my Queen…I don’t…it’s not…please…”

“Well? Spit it out!” Velverosa demanded.

“I…I can’t go back there! They don’t want me…” the child’s face was stricken. “They s-ol-” the girl stopped herself, but Velverosa could guess what she was about to say. _Sold by her own community? The lengths some humans won’t go to. They’re even lower than dirt._

Looking at the girl now quivering before her, the Queen couldn’t help but feel a twinge of…something in her heart. She turned away hurriedly, trying to resist the red tinge breaking out on her cheeks. To be so soft as to have concern for a human…how embarrassing!

“Fine…I won’t send you back where you came from. …After all, doing so would break my vow, and I will not have my reputation sullied on behalf of a human girl!” Velverosa vowed. “You’ll…stay here…until I can find out what to do with you.”

Instantly, any trace of turmoil vanished from the girl’s body. She sprung to the tips of her toes, hopping up and down exuberantly. “Thank you, my Queen! You won’t regret it! I promise!”

With a show of agility Velverosa would never have expected, the girl jumped right up onto her desk. She darted forwards to the sitting Queen, her arms spread wide. Velverosa would have been more than happy to blast her off the desk with a Grand Inferno spell…but such an act would go against her word…

Before the Demon Lord could think of an alternative spell to stop the girl in her tracks, Velverosa found a pair of small arms wrapping around the back of her head. Even as she tried to squirm away Malori nuzzled her nose into the Queen’s neck.

“What are you-!? _Get off!_ ”

Malori only hugged her as tightly as she could. Which, admittedly, was not very tight. “Hugs reduce stress, my Queen.”

_‘Insolent brat!’_

The girl looked up at her, eyes filled with trust and appreciation. It would have been all too easy for the Queen to blast her ‘guest’ across the room…but Velverosa would not lower herself by attacking one who had never shown her any hostility. She refused to reduce herself to the savagery displayed by the idiots ruling the human race.

“I don’t care how cute you are.” _Wait, what?_ “Unhand me this instant!”

Malori’s only response was to bury her face into the Queen’s neck once more.

“Ugh. _Fine_.” Velverosa put an arm around the child’s shoulders. She was only doing this in the hope that it would make Malori willing to get down more quickly. _Not_ because the girl was adorable and Velverosa was flattered by the adoration she was being shown.

She _certainly_ did not pity this human who had been abused by her elders and given into slavery. And there was not a _single_ part of Velverosa that felt the need to comfort the child as best she could.

_‘Barely into my reign and I am letting a human cuddle me. What would father think?’_

“Thank you, my Queen.”

Velverosa found herself planting her chin on top of Malori’s head. “Why do you call me that?” she couldn’t help but question. “Only my demons and servants address me as such. Humans aren’t even supposed to recognize my claim to royalty.”

With a thoughtful hum, Malori shifted herself to once again look her host in the eyes. “Well, I recognize it!” she said earnestly. “And I may not be a demon, but I would be happy to serve you, my Queen.”

The declaration took her so much by surprise that Velverosa didn’t even bother pointing out the sheer absurdity of such an arrangement. “You wish to become known as a traitor to the human race? If you were so much as known to have made such a statement, you would be butchered on the spot!”

“I don’t think all humans are bad,” Malori said, earning a skeptical grunt from Velverosa. “But the ones in charge never tried to do anything for me…or try to stop those bad men taking people into slavery. Why would I want to work for them?”

“That doesn’t mean you have to work for _me_.”

Malori nodded vigorously. “But I want to!”

Velverosa frowned. “You wish to repay me for saving your life, is that it?” It made sense. Demons were generally loath to leave such a debt unpaid. Perhaps this human felt the same way.

“Well, I guess,” the girl replied. “But mostly, I just want to be around you! The ones who work for you mostly live in this Tower, right?”

_‘She is insane!’_

She fixed the child with her hardest glare. “I am the Demon Lord! Do you understand that? The scourge of humanity! I could obliterate you in an instant, and non-adventurers have no hope of revival. You should be terrified at the mere mention of my name!”

Malori shrugged. “I don’t think you would do that. And if you did, well…I wouldn’t mind dying at the hands of a Queen as beautiful as yourself.”

Velverosa’s eye began to twitch. The way this girl was looking at her…hints of a saccharine dream the Queen had long since buried came to the forefront of her mind. As if peace was actually possible…

“And why would I want you to work for me anyway?” the Demon Lord demanded. “A little whelp like you would be useless in my army.”

Malori bit her lip. “Maybe right now. But I’ll get stronger. Right now, I’m only Level 2. But if I get older and have some training, you never know!” she said happily.

_‘Hmm. Her physical stats are impressive for one so young and malnourished. She certainly has the determination and the bravery to go far…if brought up in the right fashion.’_

Wait. She was actually _considering_ this!? The Queen of all Demons, arranging for the training and upbringing of a human warrior? Unthinkable!

The girl was still staring at her. Still _hugging_ her. Velverosa had to admit that the fact that a human child gaining comfort from her presence was…amusing.

_‘Hmm. If she is going to be staying here for a while, it would provide a constant source of power to our secret weapon. And allowing her to become stronger might allowing the mana sapping to harvest more energy from her.’_

And there was another potential benefit. Soon, Velverosa’s generals would be standing guard throughout the Tower, protecting the Queen from humans eager to claim her head. The vast majority of adventurers would fall before their might, but there would be some parties of powerful fighters that made it to the highest floor.

When that happened…wouldn’t it be interesting to have a human as her last line of defense? It would certainly throw most adventurers off their guard. ‘ _And even they would find it hard to deny my power and right to rule if they saw a powerful fighter of their own race defending the Demon Queen and submitting herself to my will.’_

Then there was the fact that Malori’s hopeful blue eyes were still looking up at her eagerly.

“ _Fine_ ,” Velverosa growled. “I’ll give you a chance. But if you even _think_ of betraying me…if you try to spy for the humans-”

“I won’t, Queen Vel! I promise!” Malori hugged the Demon Lord even tighter. “Thank you, my Queen! You won’t regret it!”

For some reason, Velverosa’s tail was wagging enthusiastically behind her chair.

“Now, _unhand me at once_ ,” the Queen demanded. “I have a busy schedule and need to receive an adequate amount of rest. I am certain you must be tired as well.”

Malori reluctantly released her, sitting back on the desk. “Hey, can I keep this?”

“Hmm?”

The girl was holding a copy of the latest wanted poster for Velverosa, one that her agents had retrieved for her. Currently, the Demon Queen’s head was worth twenty million gold…though that price would soon skyrocket.

“…Why?”

Malori blushed. “Um, no reason. I just wanted to have a picture of you! But if you don’t want me to take it then I won’t-”

“Absurd!” the Queen declared. “If an admirer of mine is going to have pictures of me, they should at least be decent. Here!” She reached into her desk and produced several photos of herself. “ _These_ show off my flawless beauty.”

The girl’s eyes were glistening with tears. ‘ _Wow, she must really be impressed with me_.’ And was that really such a surprise? A human who seemed to have escaped the biases of her culture would have no reason not to look upon the Demon Queen with awe.

_Ego +1._

“Do I have to go back to Miss Melathia now?” Malori asked reluctantly.

Velverosa scowled. “Obviously, the imbeciles serving as my Generals can’t be trusted with your supervision. I’ll have chambers prepared for you on the floor below…in a place where passing adventurers won’t find them. That way, I’ll be able to keep an eye on you.”

The girl beamed at her.

_‘Conoleth can handle making the girl suitable living quarters and preparing some sets of clothes for her. The Pookas will take care of the manual labor.’_

“For now, you can use this.” A brief burst of magic erupted from Velverosa’s hand, and a demonic cot materialized on the floor. Which was no different from a regular cot save for a black and red color scheme.

\

Thankfully, Queen Vel didn’t notice Malori taking the pictures she’d been given out of her inventory slots and into the cot with her. Even having them near her made the former slave feel more comfortable.

She was allowed to sleep on the floor of the Queen’s study, using a surprisingly comfortable cot. The fact that Queen Vel was sleeping in her own chambers, a single door away from where Malori lay, was exhilarating.

When she woke a few hours later, still in the dead of night, Malori wasn’t sure what made her get up out of her cot. But then…pictures weren’t as good as the real thing. As if in a dream, Malori eased open the wooden door to the bedroom to find Queen Vel slumbering on a massive four poster bed in the center of the room.

_‘Wow…’_

Utterly entranced, Malori made her way to the side of the bed. “Um, m-my Queen? Can I have another hug?”

There was no response save for a soft grunt, which Malori took for ‘Of course you can!’ Smiling, the girl climbed into the sheets and snuggled into her Queen’s arms. Velverosa’s eyes remained closed, but her arms still parted unconsciously to take Malori into an embrace.

 _‘I love you, my Queen_.’

\

It was still the dead of night when Velverosa’s eyes shot open. There was a source of heat pressed against her body that she didn’t recognize, and it seemed to be moaning softly…

She threw off the covers in a furious motion. The girl -Malori- was curled deeply into her side, still sound asleep. It didn’t _matter_ if the human was cute or a pleasant source of warmth…this was _unacceptable_!

Velverosa was musing over just how to expel the intruder from her bed when a few sleepy words escaped the girl’s lips.

“Please…don’t throw me away. Don’t leave me. Mama…papa… _please_ …”

So, it had been the girl’s own _parents_ who had sold her into a life of slavery? If they were that desperate, they should have sold _themselves_ first. Velverosa’s eyes narrowed in scorn.

_+5 Disgust for Humanity_

Malori reached her arms out, trying to encircle more of the Demon Lord’s slender frame. “My Queen…” she mumbled sleepily, nuzzling into Velverosa’s chest.

_-10 Disgust for Humanity_

“Ugh.” Velverosa reluctantly draped the covers back over the two of them.

_Maternal Skill Level Up!_

\

“Hark! Who dares stand in our way?”

There were three men standing in the doorway all armed and armored. Malori, wearing her green dress of low-key demonic style, smirked at them from across the room.

After a few seconds, the leader of the group seemed to realize that Malori lacked wings, horns, and a tail. “A human! You must be a powerful young adventurer to have made it this far. Come. Join our party and we shall defeat the vile demon queen once and for all!”

The eighteen-year-old woman shot him a fierce glare. It wouldn’t be long before he woke up in a casket underneath the mana tree.

“I don’t think so. My name is Lady Malori, the strongest Demon General in this tower and Queen Velverosa’s last line of defense. And you will not touch my Queen!”

She was met by three shocked stares.

“B-but you’re not a demon! ...Are you?” the man on the right asked, looking up and down for any demonic features on Malori’s figure.

“Nope! But I’m still this tower’s eighth Demon General. Which means you all have to die. But don’t worry; you can always try again!”

One of the men was struggling to hold back his laughter at the sight of a petite girl barring their way, but the leader stepped forward with a look of fury on his face. “That means you are a _traitor_ to our kind. You will die, and there will be no revival for you!”

 _That’s what you think._ Her Queen kept a supply of revival gems on hand in case Malori was ever defeated, but it wouldn’t be coming to that. Not today.

“We are the Sacred Wings! Loyal servants of King Albert the Great and the strongest guild party on Folstina! You have no chance in this battle!”

Malori grinned. “This isn’t a battle,” she said brightly. “It’s me taking out the garbage.”

Even though this party would never have been able to pose a threat to her Queen, Malori couldn’t help but feel a surge of excitement at the moment. Queen Vel had refused to let her take a position until she was of age, despite Malori being capable of overpowering many lesser demons since she was ten.

She hadn’t gone to the Adventurer Academy. Instead, Malori had been privileged to train at the feet of the Demon Lord herself. The dragon mistress had tutored her in the advanced arts of magic and arranged for Malori to level up quickly by practicing on a masochistic demon who enjoyed being blasted by her spells.

Queen Vel had even grudgingly allowed the young girl to copy and adapt several of her techniques for her own use.

The leader charged forward, slashing at Malori with a stroke of his longsword. The young Demon General held out her hand, unleashing a barrier spell. _Crack!_ The sword glanced off the red dome of energy, spreading cracks from without the point of impact.

“Not bad,” Malori said, dispelling the barrier. “Now let me try. _Explode_!”

The spell erupted between them, throwing her opponent back across the room and knocking off a large chunk of his health bar.

_Sir Arald was inflicted with BURN._

“Go!” Malori shouted, spreading out her hands. “Multi-Cast! Great Smoke Barrage!”

Clouds of pitch-black mist erupted from her palms, drowning much of the room in darkness. Now hidden from her enemies’ line of sight, Malori drew upon her Level 5 Stealth Skill to creep across the room.

_Talent Activated: Cat eyes._

“Where is she?”

“Find her!”

Crafting a lightning sword in each hand, Malori leapt at her nearest opponent. The man managed to raise his sword to block the initial onslaught, but the Demon General kept up her momentum and called upon her speed boosts. A few quick slices later, and his health was swiftly cut down to size.

_Detonate!_

Malori leapt back as the electrical swords exploded, sending the swordsman reeling back and leaving him with little more than a sliver of health remaining.

A voice to her left distracted her attention. “Exploding arrows!”

The two projectiles detonated in Malori’s face, knocking her back and taking a moderate dent out of her health bar. Rolling to her feet, the Demon General faded back into the smoke.

 _Activate Ability: Demonic Wings_.

Two wings of energy, looking not-so-coincidentally like the dragon wings that occasionally adorned Queen Vel, sprouted behind Malori and carried her up towards the ceiling. Not expecting such a move, her opponents searched for her fruitlessly.

Giving her plenty of time to charge up her ultimate attack.

“Lightning Swords! Annihilate my enemies!”

A dozen electrical swords materialized around Malori and rocketed towards the ground, each releasing a tremendous explosion. Screams of panic among the adventures vanished as a blinding flash consumed the room, sending chunks of stone flying in all directions.

_Well, that takes care of- huh?!_

Two caskets now sat upon the stone floor. The leader of the adventurers, however, was still alive. Having been at the edge of the explosion and conjured up a barrier on time, he had survived with a mere sliver of his health remaining.

Unfortunately for him, the _BURN_ status effect was still active.

“Such treachery!” he spat, climbing to his feet. “To think a human would serve that monster. And there are only supposed to be _seven_ Demon Generals! _That_ is how it is done!”

Malori shrugged as she descended to the floor. “Our Tower, our rules. See you around!” she said cheerfully as the last of his health burned away, leaving a casket in his wake.

“Heal!” the Demon General invoked her quick-cast spell, bringing her HP back up to full. Taking a look at the considerable damage to her floor, she sighed. Perhaps she had been a tad…overzealous.

The crest on her neck glowed brightly.

Responding to her summons, a group of Pookas popped into her room. Taking a quick look at the carnage, the lesser demons quickly got to work on repair and maintenance. In truth, Malori felt guilty leaving them with the work…but it was their job. And they _did_ enjoy it.

How much of that was due to the mark on her neck, Malori couldn’t say. Queen Veleverosa had certainly _not_ been happy when her human ward had confessed about having the crest, which the Demon Lord had immediately identified as the mark of a demon charmer. But, to Malori’s immense relief, she had chosen to continue trusting her and even allowed her to train with her latent powers.

Malori was loath to ever take direct control of any allied demons, but she was more than happy to help inspire them in battle via her passive buff.

“Lady Malori, Queen Velverosa wishes to see you!”

\

“I hear you made a right mess of things,” Velverosa intoned, sitting on her throne.

Malori grinned sheepishly. “I was excited. And besides, I’ve seen the destruction from some of _your_ battles. There’s a reason the Tower has so many Pookas on hand.”

The Queen frowned. “Perhaps,” she admitted grudgingly. “But was using your Ultimate Lightning Swords technique _really_ necessary? You could have disposed of them without such theatrics.”

Malori looked up at the Demon Lord, a gleam in her eyes. “Oh? I doubt that you could have heard about _that_ detail already. Were you _watching_ me, Queen Vel?”

A red tint appeared on the Queen’s cheeks. “And if I was?” she demanded. “You expect me to appoint an eighteen-year-old girl as my top General and not monitor her first day on the job?”

“Aw! You were _worried_ about me!”

“I-” Vel choked out. Of _course_ she had been worried. Malori had been training against the demons in the Tower for a decade, but never before had she fought a real battle. And if Malori had fallen…

Well, Vel was obviously concerned about protecting her investment. She hadn’t spent years teaching the girl her best techniques only to lose her in a single battle. And, of course, it would be a shame to lose her company when they read novels and drank tea together. Maybe even part of her would miss Malori frequently climbing into her sheets and cuddling her at night, something she _still_ did after all these years.

Alright, she would miss Malori as a friend. But that _didn’t_ mean Melathia’s conspiracy theories were accurate. She was _not_ in love with-

“You know, my Queen, our weapon will be ready in a few months,” Malori said. “With it, we can force the Human Kingdom to accept our demands. No more attacks against us. Resources to rebuild. Everything we’ve been dreaming of!”

Velverosa nodded. “Yes,” she agreed. She had to admit, Malori’s passion for rebuilding the Demon Kingdom was infectious. The girl was powerful enough now that she could return to her own people and live a life of luxury, yet she chose to remain in the Demon Tower year after year. Even after Velverosa had told her there would be no hard feelings for choosing to live amongst her own kind.

“A great day,” Malori continued. “It should be marked by a celebration, don’t you think? A simple parade or festival wouldn’t do it. But a wedding between a human and the Demon Queen to mark a new age of peace-”

The Demon Lord glowered at her, ignoring the tail wagging behind her back. “I’ve told you time and time again! You are a child-”

“I’m of age now,” Malori replied confidently. “Lots of humans at my age marry. Of course, if you’re not interested, I’m sure there’s a human out there who would be happy to be my husband or wife. Maybe even Princess Leora…that might help establishing peace-”

Velverosa leapt from her throne, all other thoughts forgotten. She clasped the girl by the shoulders, staring at her with such intensity it was amazing Malori didn’t melt. “Absolutely not! **_You are mine!_** ”

“Always, my Queen. Always.” Malori’s eyes were shining with such triumph that the Demon Lord realized she had been baited.

She threw the girl to the ground. “You’re impossible!”

Smirking, the Demon General climbed to her feet. “Go ahead. Tell me you don’t love me and I’ll drop the matter.”

They both knew it was a lie. Malori had been pestering her Queen to marry her for years now. Nothing Vel had said had ever managed to get her to back off. 

“ _Fine_. I’ll tell you what. Defeat me in battle and I’ll consider it. Prove yourself worthy to be my consort.”

The human grinned. “If that’s what it takes for you to admit it to yourself, Queen Vel.”

Malori charged, forming two swords of fire in her hands. The girl had indeed grown powerful…strong enough to establish herself as the second most powerful demon in the Tower. But Velverosa was _beyond_ power. It would take Malori decades before she could reach her level.

_‘Decades...’_

“Maximum Immolation!” Velverosa cried. She raised her arms. “Annihilate target!”

Malori flinched. But it was around Velverosa that the white-hot flames sprouted. And since the Demon Queen had somehow forgotten to cast her defensive spells…

_9999 Damage!_

Her health bar vanished. When a demon lost all of their HP they immediately fell into the mercy of their opponent, unable to cast any further spells. Their only option was to flee, but Malori would be far too quick for that.

“W-what?!”

Velverosa collapsed to the ground. “In my haste to attack, I designated the wrong target. Which means…I am now at your mercy per Demon Law. I have no right to refuse anything you ask.”

A pause. Then Malori began to buzz with excitement. “ _Really?!_ You let me win-”

“Make your demands,” Velverosa said simply. “Take my throne; it is your right. Or you may kill me and receive your reward of fifty million from the human kingdom.”

A wide grin on her face, Malori stepped forward. “Queen Velverosa. You may keep your crown and your authority. There is no one better suited to lead our kingdom into greatness, and I will be honored to continue serving you. But if you love me and wish to marry me, you must admit it right now.” 

_‘What choice do I have? I must respect the traditions of my people, and I suppose she is suitable for a consort. It would be a powerful indicator to the human kingdom that I am willing to make peace…perhaps enough for the people to compel King Albert to back down.’_

“I-I l-love you, Malori. And I wish to marry you.” The words brought a great sense of shame to the Demon Queen, but also a profound feeling of…relief? Over the years, the human had wormed her way into Velverosa’s heart…and it couldn’t be denied how pretty she had become.

_The Demon Queen’s Aloof Demeanor Was Shattered. Dignity -40. Happiness +50._

“Then as the victor of this combat, I decree we shall be married in three months’ time.” Malori was actually _glowing_ with happiness. It was making it hard to see.

“Agreed.”

Malori smiled even more widely. “I have one more condition before I release you from the binds of defeat. You must kiss me. But _only_ if you want to. Otherwise, our business is conclud-”

With a predatory growl, Velverosa jumped to her feet and pounced at Malori. Their lips met in a passionate kiss, immediately freeing Velverosa from the control of the victor of the combat. Yet strangely, she didn’t break off the kiss.

Not for a while.

\

Around the corner, Melathia watched as the new couple kissed one another furiously. The lamia was shaking with delight. _‘I knew it! I knew it!’_

She smiled, looking at the scene. Things were getting pretty heated…too heated for Melathia to stick around. If Velverosa caught her snooping now, the lamia would be stuck with cleaning duty for the next two years.

Turning away, Melathia began to slither quickly towards her chambers. She had so much to write and so little time.


End file.
